Social Security provides about 30% of older Americans' household income, according to a Congressional Research Service report.
Earnings, pensions, retirement account withdrawals, and investments also contribute to older Americans' income.
Social Security's share of income rises with age, reaching about 40% among adults 80 and older.
You may envision relying on Social Security during retirement, but the data show older adults tend to depend on other income sources.
About 19% of Americans 65 and older whose households received Social Security relied on it for 90% or more of household income in 2019, according to a 2025 Congressional Research Service report. Other sources fill the gap, according to the **** ysis: earnings, pension and retirement fund payments, and income from **** ets. The report matched Social Security Administration records with survey responses and included people still working.

#Social #income #Retirement #Research

Rapper Nicki Minaj publicly endorsed US President Donald Trump at a Republican campaign rally in Port Huron, Michigan, on Sunday, 25 October, ahead of the November midterm elections. After travelling aboard Air Force One, the Trinidadian-born artist joined him on stage, telling the crowd "We love Trump" and promising to support him "forever".
Nicki Minaj's increasingly public support for Donald Trump represents a notable political shift for a rapper whose provocative performances and **** ually explicit lyrics have often sparked controversy.
In 2020, she had criticised his administration's strict immigration policies, particularly the separation of children from their parents at the US border. More recently, however, she has appeared at events **** ociated with his presidency.
The Michigan rally also featured renewed attacks by Trump against Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for the US Senate. The president questioned El-Sayed's loyalty to the United States, allegations the former public health official has repeatedly rejected.
Trump's remarks came as Republicans campaigned ahead of the midterms, with Minaj's appearance adding a prominent celebrity endorsement to the event. A video shared by White House communications director Steven Cheung also showed the rapper joking about becoming the administration's press secretary.

#Trump #nicki

Nearly one in three veterans who relies on the government for health care could benefit from taking psychedelic drugs like magic mushrooms or MDMA.
That's not the ******* sment of some hippie or fading 1960s rock star. It came from Andrew Gradison, a senior adviser at President Donald Trump's Veterans Health Administration. Gradison told a conference for psychedelics enthusiasts this month that he is eager to ramp up the VA's capacity to give the drugs to as many as 2.1 million veterans with mental illnesses like post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. Gradison said 6.4 million veterans regularly rely on the VA for care.
No government regulator has deemed psychedelics safe or effective for mental illness. Under former President Joe Biden, the Food and Drug Administration in 2024 resoundingly rejected a proposal to authorize MDMA — also known as ecstasy — combined with talk therapy, to treat people with PTSD.
But psychedelics are getting a second chance in the Trump administration. Trump in April issued an executive order to accelerate research, clinical trials and patient access to the drugs. Republicans in Congress are among psychedelics' biggest backers. And the constituency they are seeking to please, veterans, are disproportionately Republicans.
Veterans, frustrated with high suicide rates among their fellow ex-service members, are lobbying aggressively to see Trump follow through.

#Veterans #psychedelics #drugs #mdma

In a rare Sunday hearing, a federal appeals court judge appointed by President Trump questioned how the Trump administration's request to intervene in California's ongoing midterm election in order to force state officials to set aside 20,000 ballots from voters whose citizenship it questions squares with the U.S. Constitution.
Judge Mark J. Bennett said that while the executive branch is "unhappy" with what California law requires for ensuring voters are citizens, the state has the right to determine the manner of its elections under the Elections Clause of the Constitution and Congress has not challenged that process, despite having the ability to do so.
"It seems to me that you want us to issue an injunction that is entirely inconsistent with the law the California Legislature has adopted pursuant to the Elections Clause," Bennett said. "How can we do that?"
Matthew Donnelly, a Justice Department attorney, said the Trump administration has good reason to believe those ballots are from ineligible noncitizen voters, and has the legal right under separate federal criminal law to challenge their tabulation until state officials can prove otherwise.
Donnelly said both federal criminal law and state election law bar noncitizen voters from casting ballots, but "the problem is that California isn't interested in enforcing that provision."

#federal

Celtic are on high alert for the January transfer window with summer target Balazs Toth, the 29-year-old Hungary goalkeeper, resisting a new deal at Blackburn Rovers. (The Herald)
Andrew Cavenagh could follow up the sale of his company with a huge new investment in Rangers' finances, according to former Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness. (Football Insider)
Rangers fear Olwethu Makhanya could have his head turned by growing interest from a number of Premier League clubs. (Football Insider)
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill is confident Callum Osmand can shake off his hamstring injury in time for Thursday's crucial Europa League tie with Celta Vigo - but Yang Hyun-jun and Cameron Carter-Vickers will miss out again. (Scottish Sun)
Greenock Morton financial director Kenneth Weldin has refused to rule out the club falling into administration before the end of the year. (The Herald)

#celtic

Kaya Klitschko — the 11-year-old daughter of late actress Hayden Panettiere and Wladimir Klitschko — made a rare appearance in court on Thursday, October 8.
According to People, Kaya appeared alongside her father, 50, during a hearing over her late mother's estate.
While Kaya did not appear on camera, the outlet reported that she wore a white T-shirt and was soft-spoken when addressing the judge.
The former heavyweight champion filed a temporary guardianship in September over his ex's estate, as she died without a will. As Kaya was Panettiere's only heir, Wladimir took swift action to protect their daughter.
Kaya is "not a resident of California; this Court has jurisdiction over the guardianship of Kaya's estate because, as such heir, Kaya is entitled to the entirety of the ***** ets subject to Hayden's probate administration in California," Wlad claimed in court documents obtained by TMZ.

#court

Republican efforts to reduce national gas prices in the weeks before Election Day were derailed in the Senate by infighting among GOP lawmakers and members of the administration who could not agree on how to ease consumers’ pain at the pump.
The divisions within the Senate Republican conference over how to lower gas and diesel prices — even if temporarily — were driven primarily by geographic differences.
Senators from oil-refining states shot down proposals from farm-state senators to ban the export of diesel or to loosen restrictions on the sale of E15 gasoline with higher ethanol content.
“You’re talking about regional politics, and it gets bogged down in the politics of energy, and the fiefdoms around it,” said Ron Bonjean, a GOP strategist and former Senate leadership aide.
There were divisions that went beyond geography, too.

#republican

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday flatly refused to comment on a new report alleging that U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle engaged in improper and possibly illegal conduct before taking up her post.
Rubio told reporters that he would not discuss the allegations contained in a Wall Street Journal story that said Guilfoyle had asked a donor and supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump to pay a $100,000 credit card bill just before her confirmation hearing, promising him access to administration officials if he did.
He spoke before leaving Greece, where he delivered a speech calling for European countries to return to what he described as their civilizational roots.
Rubio said he was aware of The Wall Street Journal's report, which was published late Wednesday, but had no idea if it was true and he would not address it.
"You guys walk around thinking that because some source told you something and you reported it, it's the gospel. It's not the gospel. It's not the gospel for me. That's not the way we do things," he said at the foot of his plane as Guilfoyle, who was there to see him depart Greece, looked on.

#rubio #told #secretary

The USS Abraham Lincoln, the US aircraft carrier that has been deployed for nearly a year and has spent months supporting US military operations against Iran, is scheduled to dock in San Diego on Thursday afternoon.
It marks the end of a deployment that has been described as "one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era" and that became marked by a record-stretch at sea, repeated deployment extensions, and reports of supply shortages, and deteriorating morale and mental health among some crew members.
The Lincoln left San Diego last November, initially bound for the Pacific. But it was redirected to the Middle East after the US and Israel launched their war with Iran in late February. The carrier remained there until late August, when it was relieved by the USS George Washington and began its journey home.
Earlier in August, the Lincoln's deployment made headlines and faced scrutiny as reports began surfacing about poor living conditions aboard the ship, including shortages of supplies and water, plumbing problems, low morale, and worsening mental health among the roughly 5,000 personnel on the carrier. Two leading military newspapers also reported that there had been two attempts by sailors to jump overboard, causing concern among families and military health experts.
The reports prompted outrage from Democrats, while senior officials in the Trump administration pushed back. Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, called the reports "completely misrepresented", and when reporters asked Donald Trump if he thought the deployment had gone on too long, he responded: "Not nearly long enough" – a comment that angered some naval families.

#military #Health

My husband, who is 59 and an only child, recently inherited $3 million from his father. I'm 57, and we've been married since we were in our 20s. We've always kept most of our money separate, although we split the household bills and own our house together.
He grew up wealthy. His family had a big house, belonged to a country club and paid for his college and graduate school. He's always been comfortable spending money on things I think of as luxuries. My parents were middle-class and worked hard, but they never had much saved.
My brother-in-law convinced his parents to sign over their home and life savings to buy a $3 million compound. Do I intervene?
America's favorite index is misleading investors about the state of the stock market
We both still work. He's a partner at a consulting firm and makes $350,000 a year. I work in healthcare administration and earn $145,000. We have $1.6 million in retirement accounts, a little more than half of which belongs to my husband. We owe $280,000 on our $1.1 million house.

#we 've #husband #only

Daily · The day's top stories, summarized for you.
The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday proposed a rule that would charge schools $70,000 per international student seeking to work in the U.S. through a program known as Optional Practical Training. It marks the Trump Administration’s latest attempt to curb foreign enrollment.

#daily #optional

Social Security acts as a financial safety net for many retirees, but it's not enough for most. These government checks were never designed to cover all living expenses. Social Security is a supplemental income source that can keep up with expenses if you combine it with savings.
That's why many people are encouraged to save up before retirement, and the math proves it. Your life in retirement will be very different if you just live on Social Security compared to having $500,000 in savings alongside your government checks. Let's break it all down below.
The average monthly Social Security benefit for retired workers as of mid-2026 was $2,085.98, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). At that rate, you will not pay any taxes on Social Security, ******* uming you do not have any other income sources. You won't even have to worry about state income taxes.
However, that's where the advantages end if you rely exclusively on Social Security. Per Apartment List data, the national median rent was $1,390 in August. That median rent leaves you with less than $700 for groceries, transportation, healthcare, utilities, insurance, debt and miscellaneous purchases.
For most people, the average Social Security is not enough. High-earners can max out their benefits at $5,181 per month if they earned a high salary for most or all of their 35 highest-earning years and wait until 70 to tap into Social Security, per the SSA. That monthly amount offers more room for financial flexibility, but the average is insufficient for most people unless their spouse earns a similar check or they live very frugally.

#income #financial

Updated on: October 7, 2026 / 5:42 AM EDT / CBS News
London — The involvement of a small American firm linked to **** ociates of President Trump in an energy project in Bosnia and Herzegovina worth more than $1.5 billion has raised questions about how the White House could be using its leverage in the fragile Balkan state.
U.S. lawmakers accuse the Trump administration of lifting sanctions on Bosnian Serb separatist leader Milorad Dodik in an effort to enrich and empower allies of Mr. Trump, and of undermining longstanding U.S. foreign policy interests in the region in the process.
On Sunday, Mr. Trump was hailed by Dodik after his Serb nationalist party won one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's three presidency seats, which are split between Bosnia's Muslim minority, known as Bosniaks, as well as Serb and Croat ethnic groups under the country's complex power-sharing electoral system.
"If it had not been for Donald Trump's magnificent victory … we would probably be political corpses today," Dodik told supporters in a speech, in which he also thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his support.

#Trump #bosnia #updated

Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson debated for the first time Tuesday in Maine, trading attacks over President Donald Trump, the cost of living and abortion in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.
Maine is central to Democrats’ path to the Senate majority as they try to capitalize on Trump’s unpopularity. Jackson tried to do just that Tuesday by tying Collins to Trump, name-checking him at least 20 times in one hour of debating on WGME-TV.
“It matters who you stand with,” Jackson said in his opening statement. “I don’t owe Donald Trump and the billionaires anything. I don’t fight for billionaires like she does.”
Collins, meanwhile, emphasized multiple instances when she opposed the Trump administration.
She also sought to localize the race and pitch her seniority — and her perch as chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee — as a boost to Maine. She touted $1.5 billion in federal funds that she has brought home to the state for 672 projects in the last five years, “from Madawaksa to Kittery, from Eastport to Rumford.”

#maine #tuesday #donald #susan

The Trump administration is struggling to get clear answers about the death of a Russian laboratory worker at an institute dedicated to studying the plague and has formally escalated its request for information from the country, amid days of stonewalling from Russian officials about the mysterious circumstances surrounding the episode.
The death of the technician at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia immediately raised alarms throughout the administration, prompting a race to compile intel and plot for a potential public health response, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
But Russia’s reluctance to share information about the incident has complicated those efforts, leaving officials uncertain what broader risks it could pose — and how exactly to defend the US against them.
The US escalated its request for information, issuing a formal diplomatic communication, called a démarche, a source familiar told CNN late Tuesday.
“We have officially requested additional information from the Russian government,” a State Department spokesperson said. “We are also in official communication with other countries around the world to share information.”

#information #russian #request #officials

You might wonder where your monthly Social Security check stands compared to everyone else's. The average monthly benefit for retired workers is $2,071.30 as of December 2025, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). That amounts to about $24,855.60 per year, but this single figure covers a massive range of ages and circumstances.
Age
Overall
Men
Women

#Social #december #administration #women

Vistra (VST) stock opened in the green on Monday following reports that President Donald Trump's administration is finalizing a massive federal support package for the clean energy company. Chris Wright, U.S. Energy Secretary, is set to visit its Perry Nuclear Power Plant to officially announce up to $4.2 billion in government-backed loans aimed at upgrading three of VST's nuclear facilities.
Despite today's rally, Vistra stock is trading about 12% below its price at the start of this year.
Why It's Time to Load Up on Broadcom Stock Before It Touches $523
NVO vs. LLY: Novo's CEO Says Confidence Is Gone. Lilly Is Winning 7 in 10 New Seniors.
Billionaire Mark Cuban Says One Man Taking a Pill From $13.50 to $750 Is Why He Started Cost Plus Drugs, 'How Can This One Guy Take Control Of This Drug'

#Monday

President Trump has announced that the administration will send a one-time $90 payment to 21 million people enrolled in Medicare Part B coverage. The payments will be issued automatically to qualified Medicare beneficiaries starting this week.
Not everyone enrolled in Medicare Part B will be paid. There are over 70 million people enrolled in Medicare, with almost 63 million in Part B, which covers general medical care and preventive health services.
In a White House statement, the president said the "premium rebates" are intended to help "enrollees pay for their Medicare Part B premiums."
The standard Part B premium is $202.90 for 2026, up from $185 in 2025.
Read more: Medicare changes coming in 2027: What to know before open enrollment

#part #president #premium #House

Updated on: October 5, 2026 / 7:29 PM EDT / CBS News
President Trump said Monday he will start paying for the pro-Trump ads that have blanketed the airwaves in recent weeks with money raised by his super PAC, after his administration drew intense pushback for using public funds on the ads.
"The Radical Left is upset with the fact that I am taking Ads, which I consider to be a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A., and paying for them with U.S.A. money," the president wrote on Truth Social. "This is a rather standard thing to do but, rather than doing that, although nothing will make them happy, I have decided to do the Patriotic Ads, among others, and pay for them myself, and with money I raised for MAGA, Inc."
Emblazoned with the message "Paid for by the U.S. Government," the ads began popping up late last month on national cable and broadcast networks, including CBS, as the November midterm elections approach.
Several variations have aired, including one that features a recording of Mr. Trump saying, "We will defeat communism, socialism and Marxism in America," as photos of the president flash across the screen. Another recounts the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

#paying

Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will provide commentary across the Fox News lineup. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)
Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is joining Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott announced on Monday.
Leavitt, 29, who will provide commentary across the Fox News lineup, starts on Nov. 1. She most recently served as the 36th White House press secretary during President Donald Trump’s second administration, from January 2025 until August 2026.
"Karoline’s firsthand experience in the White House and on the presidential campaign trail gives her a distinct understanding of today’s political landscape. We look forward to her providing our audience with authentic and sharp insight across all FOX News Media platforms," Scott said in a statement.
TRUMP SAYS KAROLINE LEAVITT WILL LEAVE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY ROLE, BECOME OUTSIDE ADVISOR

#karoline #press #secretary

Robert De Niro is ramping up his criticism of the Trump administration in the final weeks before the 2026 midterm elections.
The 83-year-old Oscar winner did not pull his punches while speaking at Indivisible's Hands Off Our Vote event in New York City on Sunday, Oct. 4. He called out "weak and spineless" Republicans in Congress who "won't protect our rights" as voters, accused President Donald Trump of trying to "our votes away" amid record-low approval ratings and encouraged voters to "take back the House, take back the Senate, take back the power, take back our country."
"The Trump administration knows that their policies are not only crazy and cruel, they're increasingly unpopular. They can see it. They're not stupid. Well, OK, they are very f---ing stupid," De Niro said from the podium. "They're stupider than I ever thought, but they recognize what they're doing is turning away people. They can't get support from the voters. So what do they do? They try to take our votes away. Are you kidding me?"
He added, "And when that coward, that f---ing piece of s---, Donald Trump, tries to take our voice and power away, what do we tell him? Keep your f---ing hands off our vote!"
In response to De Niro's remarks, the White House reissued a statement previously provided to USA TODAY criticizing the actor.

#they 're #back #voters #House

The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) dropped by almost 800,000 barrels last week, and the Trump administration moved forward with plans to sell another 40 million barrels in the coming months.
New data released on Monday by the US Department of Energy showed the US energy backstop sitting at 283 million barrels, down from 283.77 million the week prior.
That leaves about two weeks of US oil consumption in the reserve amid widespread worries about global stockpiles, which the head of Saudi Arabia's state producer on Monday called "scarily thin."
Amin Nasser, chief executive of Saudi Aramco, added at an Energy Intelligence Forum in London on Monday that releasing stockpiles will buy economies some time but won't fix the imbalances that have developed between supply and demand.
Yet these withdrawals in the US could soon accelerate after the Trump administration unveiled a request for bids from companies to buy up to 40 million barrels of crude oil from the SPR, with the aim of having the companies return those supplies "with additional premium barrels." The solicitation process is ongoing, and it's unclear if companies will agree to those terms.

#Companies #saudi #week

When it comes to the battle for control of the U.S. Senate, Republicans are mostly playing defense. The lion's share of the races that will decide which party secures a majority in November are in red states — including Texas, Iowa and Ohio — where the GOP is hoping to hold on against ascendant Democratic challengers.
Minnesota is one of the few states in the country where the party is in a position to go on offense and potentially turn a blue seat red.
In pursuit of that goal, the GOP has put its hopes in Michele Tafoya, a former sports broadcaster and NFL sideline reporter turned politician who polls suggest has a real chance of winning in a state that has been dominated by Democrats in recent election cycles.
Tafoya is running for the seat currently held by Democrat Tina Smith, who is not pursuing re-election. Instead her opponent will be Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flannagan, a progressive who supports policies like Medicare for All and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Minnesota has been at the center of some of the biggest controversies of President Trump's second term, particularly his administration's sweeping immigration crackdown. Though a majority of Minnesotans disapprove of Trump's performance as president, Tafoya has steadily chipped away at Flanagan's lead in polls since the primary.

#tafoya

As Houthi militants in Yemen attacked ships with missiles and drones in the Red Sea early last year, top U.S. officials gathered at the Pentagon to prepare military options for President Donald Trump. Their meetings repeatedly grew tense.
On one side were Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, then overseeing U.S. operations in the Middle East, and other hawks ready for action. The general was keen on military action not only against the Houthis but also against Iran, which had backed the Yemeni paramilitary group for years with weapons and training, according to people familiar with the matter. Like others, they spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal government deliberations.
On the other side were officials hesitant to launch military strikes so early in the second Trump administration, including the Joint Chiefs chairman, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., who suggested that new U.S. **** sments of what military action might yield would be wise before presenting the president with military options.
That triggered an abrupt response from Kurilla, people familiar with the matter said.
“General,” Kurilla said, “the time for **** sments is over.”

#military #Trump #president #options

Two months after leaving her role as White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt is making her next move.
Donald Trump's former press secretary will be joining Fox News as an on-air contributor, the network announced Monday, Oct. 5.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to continue appearing on Fox News Channel as an official member of the extraordinary team at Fox News Media," Leavitt said in a statement. "I look forward to bringing my unique perspective from my experience as White House press secretary, along with the same energy and candor that defied my tenure, to Fox's millions of viewers across their many platforms."
Leavitt, 29, held her press secretary position in the Trump administration from January 2025 to August 2026, becoming the youngest person in American history to hold the position.
Prior to this, she served as National Press Secretary during Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. Leavitt also previously ran for Congress in her home state of New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District in 2022, and served as communications director for then-House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY).

#Monday

Karoline Leavitt, the former Trump administration press secretary who spent much of her time chastising and denigrating the journalists who asked her questions, is joining one of the outlets that made some of the queries.
Leavitt will join Fox News Channel as a contributor, the network said Monday. Leavitt follows a well-trod path that has been walked on previously by people like Kayleigh McEnany, a former press secretary who also works for the Fox Corp.-backed media outlet, and Larry Kudrow, a former financial official who is a prominent host at Fox Business Network.
More from Variety
Billy Bush to Join Fox News as Contributor
Maria Bartiromo Out at Fox News, Fox Business

#former

In a development that will come as a surprise to very few media observers, former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is joining Fox News.
According to The New York Times and confirmed by Mediaite, Leavitt is joining the network as an on-air contributor. She is expected to start on Nov. 1. An official announcement from the network is expected shortly.
"Karoline's firsthand experience in the White House and on the presidential campaign trail gives her a distinct understanding of today's political landscape," Suzanne Scott, Fox News Media CEO, said in a statement published by the Times.
In a statement of her own published by the Times, Leavitt vowed to provide "the unique perspective and candor that defined my tenure with the Trump administration" in her new role.
Leavitt will join Dana Perino and Kayleigh McEnany as former White House press secretaries on the Fox News roster.

#leavitt #press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said it attacked a boat suspected of being used to smuggle drugs in the Caribbean Sea on Sunday, killing four people, as the Trump administration continues its yearlong campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America.
The latest attack brings the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to at least 235 in 70 strikes since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls "narcoterrorists" in September 2025. As with most of the military's statements on strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes.
The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs. A video posted on X showed what appeared to be an explosion destroying a moving boat, which the military said was a go-fast vessel.
The Trump administration is pursuing deals with allied nations to extend its offensive to land across multiple Latin American countries. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a visit to Panama in August that Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras had agreed to allow the U.S. to carry out joint military operations against criminal groups on their soil. Guatemala denied reaching such a deal. Ecuador launched similar missions with the U.S. in March.
President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in "armed conflict" with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing smugglers.

#boat #caribbean

Updated on: October 4, 2026 / 8:06 PM EDT / CBS News
As Sen. Thom Tillis exits the Senate, he's blasting many of the advisers President Trump has surrounded himself with as "sycophants, and calling on his colleagues to stand up to executive power like the co-equal branch of government they are."
The 66-year-old senior senator from North Carolina unloads on what he calls the "WTF moments" of the second Trump Administration in a new book, "How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents." Having served in the Senate during the Barack Obama, Joe Biden and both Trump presidencies, Tillis said he's increasingly worried about how the nation's system of checks and balances is being tested by the outsized influence of the executive branch.
"We will have a sort of dictator king if we're not careful," he said.
Every recent White House has been eager to govern by executive order, something that's been especially true during the current Trump administration, Tillis said. Presidents, he said, fail to understand that Congress is a coequal branch that should be treated as a peer, and that Congress needs to act as such.

#tillis #congress #updated #october

Latino voters helped propel Donald Trump back to the White House. Now, they are turning on him, according to a new NBC News/Telemundo poll — a shift that gives Democrats a major opportunity to capitalize in a 2026 election that could hinge on states and districts with sizable Latino populations.
Like the broader electorate, Latino voters are racked by major concerns about high prices and Trump’s approach to immigration enforcement. The president’s approval rating sits at 27% among Latino voters. Two-thirds say his administration’s deportation policies have gone too far and three-quarters disapprove of how he has handled the economy and the cost of living.
There are clear signs his party is paying the price.
A greater share of Latino voters hold negative views of the Republican Party than at any time since 2016, and Democrats have leads on issues like dealing with the economy, immigration, the cost of living, corruption and healthcare. Two years ago, Latino voters gave Trump a 4-point edge over then-Vice President Kamala Harris on handling the economy. Today, they give Democrats a 21-point advantage on the same question.
Against that backdrop, Democrats have a 24-point lead on whom Latino voters want to see in control of Congress, 59%-35%.

#latino